Spaceflight Insider

Technical concerns delay launch of ULA Atlas V with GPS IIF-12

Jason Rhian

January 26th, 2016

Archive Photo Credit: Michael Seeley / SpaceFlight Insider

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The launch of a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 401 rocket and its payload of the last Block IIF Global Positioning Satellite has been delayed by at least 24 hours. The launch is now slated to take place no-earlier-than Feb. 4, 2016. According to ULA, the cause for this slip were “concerns over the integrity of electrical connectors on the Atlas V booster.”

The GPS IIF 12 satellite has not been mated to the Atlas booster yet. That particular milestone is currently pending assessment of the launch vehicle’s status.

The launch of the final satellite of the GPS IIF constellation has a 19-minute launch window, which was supposed to open at 8:49 a.m. EST (13:49 GMT) on Feb. 3 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 in Florida.

Jason Rhian spent several years honing his skills with internships at NASA, the National Space Society and other organizations. He has provided content for outlets such as: Aviation Week & Space Technology, Space.com, The Mars Society and Universe Today.